Looking To The Sky
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: He studied her intently for a moment. Her dark, soulful eyes, her pouty lips, that soft strand of hair that fell into her eyes... Without hesitating, he stepped forward and gathered her into his arms.


I probably shouldn't be starting another story, but what the heck. This one is already almost completed. I took the title from the song Learn To Fly, which I listened to while writing the first chapter. Enjoy, and please review!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

SVUSVUSVUSVUSVU

How the hell was he going to do this?

Elliot Stabler stood in front of his partner's apartment door, unable to even form a coherent thought. He had been standing there for the last half hour, at least, and he still had no idea what he was going to say to her. He still could not believe it himself. How could he expect her to?

His fist finally made contact with the wood of her door, and he took a steadying breath to keep himself from turning away and walking back out of the building. He didn't have time to screw around.

Olivia was enjoying a nice glass of wine on her day off. It was a rare day when she didn't have to work, and there were no chores to be done. Briefly her mind wandered to her partner, and she wondered what he was doing. He was probably spending some time with his kids, or catching up on sleep that they both had lost. She took another sip of wine, then set the glass down and picked up the remote to turn her TV on. But before she could hit a button, there was a loud knock on the door. She glanced at her clock, then sullenly got up. If it was Elliot with a case…

The knocking became more persistent, and she scowled. "I'm coming!" She went to the door and unlocked it, then pulled it open and came face to face with her partner. "Don't tell me we have a case…"

He studied her intently for a moment. Her dark, soulful eyes, her pouty lips, that soft strand of hair that fell into her eyes... Without hesitating, he stepped forward and gathered her into his arms. Then he brought his lips crashing against hers.

Olivia was shocked when he kissed her. What had gotten into him? Wasn't he trying to reconcile with Kathy again, even though the divorced was finalized? But that didn't really matter at the moment. They were partners! They couldn't be doing this… could they? Then he gently pushed her lips apart, and she groaned softly as her eyes closed. Suddenly she didn't care why he was doing this. All she knew was that she never wanted him to stop. Her hand slid up into his hair.

When she didn't rebuff him, he walked with her away from the door. Then he kicked the door shut with his foot. His hands moved over her back and down to gently cup her ass. She tasted of red wine and something else that was purely Olivia Benson, and he was already addicted.

Suddenly she pulled back and looked up into his cerulean eyes. "Elliot, what are you doing?" she whispered, breathless.

He gently tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear, something he had wanted to do for more than ten years. "Olivia..."

Her eyes searched his. "What is it, El...?"

He broke the gaze and reached down, gently taking her hand and bringing it up to his mouth. Then he kissed her fingertips.

Her eyes slipped shut, and she trembled. Whatever had gotten into him, whatever he was thinking, she was thankful. Thankful that he hadn't gone back to Kathy, and that he was actually kissing her. Her thumb gently stroked his lower lip.

He kissed her thumb, then wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her back to him. "You are beautiful," he breathed, kissing her again.

Her cheeks flushed lightly at the compliment. "Is this really happening?" she whispered.

He nodded, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "If you want it to." He prayed to God she would say yes.

_If_ she wanted it? She had only wanted this since the day they had met and she had gotten lost in those incredible cerulean depths. She ran her hand over his arm, then took his hand and turned around.

His shoulders slumped in relief as he followed her out of her living room. She hadn't turned him away... If she had, he would have never recovered. He squeezed her hand lightly as they walked.

Once in her bedroom, Olivia shut the door, then walked back into his arms. Her body trembled subtly as she reached up and cupped the back of his neck in her hand, then drew him down for a deep kiss. This was truly happening... Her hands suddenly gained minds of their own and slid under his shirt, stroking and testing the muscles she found there.

He gently drew her bottom lip between his teeth as she enjoyed running her hands up and down his back.

Her hands grabbed the bottom of his shirt, and she broke the kiss long enough to pull it off and toss it to the floor. She had seen him without a shirt a few times in their partnership, and every time she had she found herself wishing that he was hers to touch and love. Now it was possible that he was, and it sent her into overdrive. She pulled back and yanked her shirt off, then reached out and slowly unzipped his pants. She had been fantasizing about this moment for too long to take her time now.

As his pants hit the floor, he reached around her and slowly undid the clasp of her bra. His pupils dilated when the soft cotton fell away, revealing those beautiful breasts that he had dreamt about for years. Why had he waited so long to do this? Suddenly it didn't make sense in his mind. Things had been over with Kathy for years. He could have spent all of that time with Olivia, but he had been too damn stubborn and stupid to see that.

She gasped and arched into him when he ran his thumbs lightly over her hardened nipples. It was painful and exquisite, and she needed more. Her breath caught in her throat.

He lowered his head and ran the tip of his tongue lightly around a hard nipple. She was so damn beautiful... He gently rolled her pants down, then pushed her backward onto her large, carefully made bed.

She wanted to close her eyes and focus on what he was doing to her body, but she couldn't look away from him. Maybe this was all a dream. In a minute, she would wake up on the couch, alone and miserable. Without Elliot.

He saw the hesitation in her eyes, and he kissed her gently. "I'm here," he whispered against her soft lips. "This... It's really happening."

She gently framed his face in her hands. "Is it?" she wondered, her voice tinted by fear.

He nodded, turning his head and kissing her palm. "It is, baby."

Then he gently lifted her hips and slid inside of her, and they both gasped at the new and torturous sensation.

He buried his face in her neck, and the soft sounds she made told him that he was doing something very right. He lightly scraped his teeth over her neck, then kissed the reddened area.

She turned her head and kissed his temple, breathlessly urging him to move faster.

He happily obliged, letting his body respond to hers. She felt incredible, the salve that soothed his burning soul. And he was going to hold her until he took his last breath.

Her release suddenly overwhelmed her, and vaguely she heard herself shout his name. "Elliot!"

His hips move faster, and with a soft groan he let his release wash over him in waves. When he came back to awareness, his head was resting on her chest, and he could feel her fingertips drawing patterns over his chest. He didn't have the strength to move, and she didn't seem uncomfortable, so he snuggled closer to her.

Olivia kissed his head, unwilling to break the gentle silence by saying something. If he wanted to go, at least she would always have this beautiful memory.

Finally he moved off of her with a reluctant groan.

When he moved away, she tensed and tried to hold back her tears. But then he pulled her against his chest, and it hit her. He wasn't going to leave. He'd had the chance, and instead of withdrawing, he had pulled her closer.

He kissed her head, then buried his nose in her hair. Sleep was tugging at him, but he couldn't give in. Not yet.

She snuggled deeper into his chest, absently stroking his arm.

He finally took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Liv..."

She stretched comfortably. "Yeah?"

His fingers tangled themselves gently in her hair. "I..."

Concerned, she tipped her head back and studied his face. His features were bathed in shadows, and for a fleeting moment, she was terrified that he was going to say they had just made a terrible mistake.

He moved his hand from her hair to gently trace her lips. "I have to tell you something..."

"What?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, Olivia could see the pain and fear in them. "I love you."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Wh-What?"

"I love you." He gently rolled them over so she was on her back and he was hovering over her. "I think... I think I've loved you since the day we met."

She stared at him, surprised. He loved her? She searched his features for any sign of dishonesty. But there wasn't a single one, and she gently framed his face with her hands. "I love you, too, El," she breathed.

A grin slowly spread across his face, and he lowered his head to hers. "I love you so damn much, Olivia," he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. "Don't ever forget that."

She looked confused, but when he deepened the kiss, everything was removed from her mind. How could he ever think she would forget she loved him? She ran her hands gently over his back.

He kissed her again, then laid down beside her and drew her back into his arms. She fit so perfectly against him, so warm and soft. It was as though the last piece of him had finally fallen into place. He was finally complete.

She snuggled into his broad chest, listening to his heart beat soothingly under her ear.

He absently kissed her hair as one large hand ran up and down the silky skin of her back. He had found where he was meant to be, right here in his best friend's arms.

How could he tell her that he was dying?

TBC...

A/N: Yup, it's gonna be a tearjerker. Review. :)


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